Walking Backwards
by Nasaki
Summary: How do you imagine life in Welton before Keating? One would think it must have been boring. Was that really so…? Slight slash: Neil/Todd and Charlie/everyone?
1. Classes with Mr Wright

Just to point out: I know that Todd entered at Welton the same year that Keating became English Professor. Let's just pretend he studied at Welton from the very beginning, shall we?

Another things you may also ask: For all the Charlie lovers, yes, it is a Charlie-centric fic, and for all the slashers, very slight Neil/Todd. For those who are still guessing, Charlie's paired up with **_everybody_**!

Also this fic _has been_ beta-readed by the magnanimous Tusk of Thyme . If it ever comes to you with a proper grammar (since I do not speak English as my mother language) it's all because of her. Thank you! (Clapping sound)

* * *

"_Walking Backwards_"

**Part 1**: "_Classes with Mr Wright_"

Clic clic clic

The sound of the little piece of chalk that Mr. Wright was holding in right hand every time he wanted to write something in the blackboard echoed through the room. His nervousness was finally reaching his entire body, which was painfully obvious as he was incredibly thin. So gaunt, that some of his students (in their naïveté) sometimes feared for their professor's life when strong winter winds twirled outside the windows.

"Now class, open your books to page 26, then…" Mr. Wright continued after dodging a plane that glided in his direction, folded out of a student's essay "Write a minimum of two pages on the civil war text and form your own opinion of the subject"

The whole class moaned with the new tedious and boring task that had been assigned. "All right, now that you have an appropriate homework assignment to take up your precious free time…" Mr Wright paused once again to elude a second aeroplane headed in his direction. "Let's read in silence, until the bell rings." With his completed sentence, he sat down on his chair, sneaking hopeful glances to the clock every few seconds.

Charlie, being the procrastinator he was, tried to talk to Neil, but as Neil was too far, Charlie ruefully gave up. He then, looked over the class in a desperate attempt to curb his boredom. All right, Neil was too far, Pitts was talking to that Hopkins guy again, Meeks had his nose in the text book, concentrating firmly as he absorbed the printed information that spread before him, Todd was even farther away than Neil and Meeks were together, so Charlie finally decided, with his smirk in place, to annoy the person he always did and leaned forward to pat Knox on the back.

"Hey, Knoxious…" he whispered. At this professor Wright coughed a little.

"Don't call me Knoxious, Charlie." Was the response in whispered irritation.

"All right then, Knox," continued Charlie, rolling his eyes while mentally thanking the very convenient position of the desks in the classroom so that Knox couldn't see him "Wanna come to my room tonight, let's say about eight?" Charlie smirked with a low voice while ruffled his hair a little, knowing that Knox liked it and now_ not_ thanking the position their desks were in for now Knox couldn't see him.

Knox shrugged "What's the point? Meeks, Pitts and Cameron will be all studying with some other guy…Jaggers, I think. Not even Todd will be able to help us with the History assignment this time"

"Oh, were you actually planning to cheat and copy the entire History essay from Anderson? How mean…"

Knox glanced over his shoulder and shot Charlie a warning expression before turning back and pretending to read. (Charlie knew he wasn't, though).

"Knoxious…" Charlie whinned lightly, a little loud if Mr. Wright's warning cough was anything to go by, Charlie didn't care. All it resulted in was some students asking if Mr. Wright was sick or not as the front row edged away.

"Charlie!," He whispered in exasperation. "Don't call me that!"

"Knox…C'mon…" Charlie leaned as close to his friend as he could, trying to catch his attention by making strange, quiet, sounds with his shoes that were beginning to grate on Knox's nerves. "Don't you wanna make out with me?" He whispered Knox's ear with a playful tone, no doubt with his smirk in place.

"Have you gone completely mental!?" Knox spun around, red in the face and a half shouted in surprise.

"Overstreet, Dalton, would you mind telling me what seems to be the problem here?" asked Mr. Wright cautiously as he advanced towards Charlie's desk, the desk that was designated for the "difficult" students ever since Welton Academy had been established. The idea was to be able to give all the professors the expectation of what they could expect from students like Mr. Charles Dalton. After all, they had their fair share of rebellious students beforehand.

"Well…" Knox started with a weak voice. Mr. Wright smiled slantedly when he saw Knox's history book, dimissing anything the boy had started to say.

"Did this belong to your father, Overstreet?" inquired Mr. Wright, suddenly feeling all lively and speaking enthusiastically as Knox nodded slowly

Mr. Wright's eyes scanned through the various pages of the Introduction of History for Students, sometimes his eyes dulling into a melancholic light, while others, almost grinning while remembering some anecdotes from the past that were penciled into the margins of the book.

Finally, he closed the book and returned it to Knox.

"And you, Mr. Dalton, what are you doing to your desk?" He asked plainly, not in the mood for Charlie's antics.

Charlie stopped carving his name into the desk with his compasses and looked up in pensive innocence. "I think," He deliberately spoke slowly with a wicked grin. "I'm mutilating it, professor."

At this point, all the class was laughing at Charlie. Neil shook his head and shot Charlie a wan smile before twisting it into the question expression of are-you-completely-insane-? Todd, for some reason or another, just shrank into the back of his chair, failing miserably as Meeks and Pitts both laughed as Charlie took a mock bow and grinned madly at Cameron whom practically had his chin on the floor. The rest of the class clapped and laughed, grateful that the infamous Charlie Dalton had curbed their boredom.

Professor Wright was fuming red, making it seem as if Charlie had just insulted Mr. Wright's dear old mother in front of the whole country. His usual nervous mannerisms vanished for a moment and then he hissed with a dreadful tone, one single word

"Detention"

Charlie smirked but said nothing then, glanced to Knox and gave him a little smile (Knox still wouldn't look at him, but Charlie could swear that his cheeks have gone all red) and left.

_Notes_: All right, I know this is a little short, but that's exactly the whole point of the story. I'm going to write short episodes that happen in different classes with different professors. This professor is based on a real professor I once had. When Mr Wright takes a look at Knox's book he remembers things from the past, obviously because he has been friends with Knox's father when he was young. Charlie, well, he is just being Charlie. Next class is Gym, and I promise to make Neil and Todd have their slashy moments.

* * *

Extra Scene from chapter one: _At the Study hall_

"Are you sure about it, Cameron?" Neil: confused

"Sure, you just equal 'x' to zero and then…" Cameron: hasty

"Have you seen Charlie? He still has my Latin notes from yesterday…" Meeks: irritated

Pitts: enters to the Study hall suddenly

"I can't find Knox either" Pitts: not suspecting anything

"…" Todd: wants to chuckle, but he doesn't (he is too shy)

"Could we just get on with the trigonometry?"


	2. Classes with Mr Everett

Disclaimer: What? You tell me that I do not own DPS? Shit! I almost got away with it!

Just to point out: This is the most pathetic and cheese thing I've ever written… Neil/Todd, aren't they adorable?. Also, the Charlie/everyone pairing is now limited to Charlie/whatever-poet-I-want because everyone is ... everyone!

Beta-readed by: Tusk of Thyme… Note that Chapter one has also been beta-readed in order to correct the style issues. (Bows to everyone)

* * *

"_Walking Backwards_"

**Part 2**: "_Classes with Mr Everett_"

"Up, down, up, down" recited Mr Everett following his words with the movements of his arms and his hands. The boys couldn't wait with more anxiety for the gym classes. It was by far, the most pushing class they had, being held, conveniently, in the early hours of the day, soon after dawn to be more precise.

The boys at Welton academy would wake up early in the morning, get dressed, eat a cup of cereal and go to the courtyard, where Mr Everett would wait impatiently, counting the minutes. This was not a rule, it was box populi, and every student, even the freshmen, knew about it.

Gym was held at the courtyard exactly at six o'clock, whatever weather they had.

Charlie had the theory that Mr Everett was so frustrated with his sexual life that he _had_ to canalize his frustration somehow. This theory, expressed during the breakfast was postulated with the words:

"Are you out of your mind? Mr Everett should get a girl, for god's sake, then, he would stop bugging us. Could you pass me the strawberry jelly, Neil?"

This remark made everyone laugh, and Charlie was to visit Mr Nolan for his first punishment.

Neil passed the strawberry jelly and then laughed with the others. Todd still looked at the group feeling like no one would notice him and moved in his own sit nervously.

"I hate to admit it, but Dalton is right…" whispered Cameron a little flustered, since Charlie always got an excuse for touching him whenever and wherever he wanted during the whole breakfast.

"See? Not only I'm handsome, but also a genius…"

At this, Knox made a grin. "Yeah, right"

"Are you going to hurry mister genius?" groaned Pitts, who was in a mood.

"Coming, Neil?" asked Charlie before getting out of sight

"Yeah…" but Neil took his time. He was waiting for Todd to appear. Todd Anderson was always the last person to arrive to the courtyard, which was why Mr Everett picked on him, and he also was the last to leave.

"Anderson?"

Todd lifted his head "Are you…talking to me?" asked Todd, but seeing that no other Anderson was near, he assumed Neil has called him.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you" laughed Neil "We have to work in pairs and Meeks, who was Charlie's partner last week, broke his arm and he can't play for a month or so" Neil rolled his eyes "So Charlie might pick Knox as his partner, leaving me alone"

"You… want me… to be your partner?" finished Todd feeling that if that awkward moment continued he would faint.

"No, I was wondering if you could ask Charlie to be your partner instead"

"Oh" Todd wasn't getting the irony

"C'mon" said Neil with a bright smile on his face "You are going to be my partner for today, and later, if you want, you can study with me and the guys"

"You mean… with you and Dalton?" asked Todd hesitantly, while they were running to the courtyard

"That's exactly what I mean. Why?"

"Well…" Todd shrugged "You know how he is … we are all freshmen here, but he seems to be the most wanted guy of all Welton"

"I've known him for my whole life. He is kind of childish, but still a good lad, he won't make fun of you, I promise"

Finally, Todd and Neil got to the courtyards. Mr Everett was not happy; he decided to make all the students do lifts for their fault.

Charlie looked at Neil. He was with that Anderson again. Charlie grinned and then coughed a little.

"What?"

"Nothing, Knoxious" Knox looked at Neil and Todd's direction and smiled

"Well, you should have done something sooner" Charlie couldn't tell if Knox was talking about Todd or Neil. Both were pretty good targets.

"Bah" he coughed a little more (damned cigarettes). But Charlie Dalton wouldn't give up smoking. _Better Mr Everett give up gym classes_

* * *

Extra Scene from chapter two: _At the Study hall…again_

"What's that?" Pitts: points at Charlie, who is carrying a paperback book

"Could it be that you are into poetry?" Cameron: stops writing and looks at the book suspiciously

"No, it's just an arithmetic book, since I want to keep up with the rest of you"

Meeks laughs at this

"Are you joking?" Todd: (from a corner)

"Of course I am" Charlie: opens the arithmetic book, inside there is the picture of a lady.

"Ohhh, is she your girlfriend?" Pitts: still in a mood

"No, she is Mr Everett's wife!" Neil: enters after Charlie and smiles at Todd

"I should apologize, turns out that Mr Everett does have a girl" Charlie: (in a dramatic pose)

"Will you?" Cameron: already knows the answer

"No!"


	3. Cut Latin

Disclaimer: You already know that I do not own DPS, right?

Just to point out: On the next chapter Charlie is going out to get some girls, Todd and Neil don't need any (duhh)

* * *

"_Walking Backwards_"

**Part 3**: "_Cut Latin_"

Professor Gilbert was probably the most hated professor of all Wellton. If you were to study Latin you'd better be prepare for him. He was the kind of professor the pupils hate but, at the same time, respect. He came in every class and spoke with a soft tone of voice. This was all faked.

When his voice lowered down and he pointed at the unfortunate student that was casually talking, one would think kind professor Gilbert would make a two hours speech on how talking and interrupting upsets him. But no!

It was much worse.

The unfortunate student that interrupted Professor Gilbert would have to kneel down in the back of the classroom until the end of the class. By the time the class ended, the professor would not release him from his punishment. And only God knows what follows for this talkative person for the next period.

And the worst part was that they were to cope with Professor Gilbert until the fourth year, when they would be having Professor Mc Allister, who was, indeed, a lot kinder and experienced.

The freshmen were heading to Mr Gilbert's class, when Charlie (probably the first student in all Wellton to defy Gilbert) said this:

"Wanna cut Latin?"

The boys looked at each other. An awkward moment of silence followed his words.

"Yeah, let's cut Latin" Neil spoke the first, as it was expected from Charlie's oldest pal. Oh yeah, Neil met Charlie when Charlie's father happened to meet Mr Perry at the bank. This was a casual encounter and the two 'square' men took to each other immediately.

"Why not?" asked Knox with his hands on his pockets.

Charlie was killing time by giving Todd very captivating looks. (Todd was looking at his feet) At this, Knox coughed intentionally.

"What are you talking about?" Pitts' question came out of nowhere.

"It will be fun!" said Neil ignoring Pitts. Meeks only shrugged in one corner. He didn't care but was going to go, anyway. Pitts seemed to be confused.

"You mean to … skip classes?"

"Just one period" said Charlie as if to calm him down. Pitts' anxiety won't be described. It would take me too many words and still you wouldn't get the whole thing.

"I'm going…" Todd finally spoke up, timidly.

Neil patted him on the back. He was proud of him in some weird way. (Knox coughed again. This was begging to annoy Charlie, who wasn't flirting with anyone… this time)

"Are you serious?" Cameron spoke his mind, but the boys were already on their ways.

"Don't fink Cameron! Or we will hit you so hard you won't be able to move in the morning!"

Luckily, Cameron didn't know at that time that Wellton was expelling every student that committed physical aggressions.

They made their way through the woods, not knowing where to go. Soon, came the confusion and the conversations started to turn out like this:

"Auch"

"Who is this?"

"Knox, and you are…?"

"Cameron…"

"Weren't you going to Latin?"

"Yeah, I'm Charlie, just kidding…"

The boys took separated ways. Neil was trying to find a place to read peacefully. He had stolen a Shakespeare book in the summer from the local library and hided it under his bed.

He found himself at a cave. This cave was near to a river, so the sound of water could be heard in the distance. He decided it was the perfect place to start reading _Romeo and Juliet_. Strange… he would have preferred to read _Otelo_ first, or _Hamlet_

He started reading.

In his mind, Juliet was a very androgyny woman, with deep blue eyes, and golden hair. He imagined her to be delicate and soft, kind of shy and timid. And whenever she had a dialogue, he thought to himself '_Hey, this is the kind of thing Todd might say_'

Truth is, this was all in his mind.

"Look! Over there!" a familiar voice echoed around the cave. Neil stayed alert. His heart's beats were rising every minute.

"Are you sure? What if we get caught?" another familiar and dubitative voice

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course not!"

The voices were just Charlie and Knox. When they entered the cave Neil thought there was something out of place. They stared at each other for a long time.

Knox. Charlie. Neil.

Knox was barely breathing.

Charlie had his tie almost untied.

And Neil… well, Neil was just reading in silence.

"Hi, Neil! What are you reading?" the atmosphere relaxed again. Neil smiled and spent the rest of the afternoon talking to Knox and Charlie.

Charlie was always saying things that both surprised and embarrassed them. He told them about one day he was trying to seduce a girl that was his cousin's friend.

After time passed, Meeks and Pitts joined them.

Todd spent some time with them after returning to the dorms to study History.

When the rest of them decided to come back, it was already evening. None of them wanted to go back. There, in the middle of the wood, they could almost forget about Latin, about homework, about Mr Nolan, and life itself seemed to be simple.

Neil wanted to ask Charlie about Knox, but he soon forgot about it with his sleep.

* * *

Extra Scene from chapter 3: _Science Project_

"No! Don't do that!" Cameron: exasperated

"Don't interfere with science, Cameron!" Charlie: doesn't give a damn about him

"Yeah, seems like we're progressing here" Pitts: looks at his experiment

Meeks: He has done most of Pitts experiment

"What happened with Todd? He is not here…" Knox: looks at Neil

"I think Mr Hager found him not asleep last night" Charlie: the almighty knows it all

Neil: he looks concerned

"Did he ask about the cave?"

"Actually he did, he seemed kind of dreamy, though and then he … Charlie!"

Charlie's experiment explodes.

Neil: wonders how a potato could do that


End file.
